At GoForth, we know that being creative and open to new ways of thinking can be a great source of small business inspiration. That’s why we love the story of Inklings Paperie, an American company based out of Michigan that creates customizable scratch-off greeting cards, telegrams, and lunchbox notes, as well as other paper goods.

Inklings owner Lindsay Henry has a background in corporate design. After friends began to ask her to design bridal and baby shower cards and games for them, she realized that there wasn’t much new and exciting going on in that space. According to her website, “I learned that 27% of bridesmaids consider shower-planning their least favorite part of being a bridesmaid, and that only 7% consider it one of their favorite parts.”

In an interview with WXYZ Detroit, Henry describes her a-ha moment, after creating scratch-off cards and games for a baby shower:

“People loved them, they were responding well to them, asking if we had different designs and I thought, wow, there’s really an opportunity for a beautifully made whimsical games and cards that people were looking for, that were different and unique.”

Henry opened her Etsy shop in 2010, and her home-based business has grown to include full-time staff. Inklings products are sold in stores across the US and around the world, and have even been featured in celebrity swag bags at the 2012 Emmy Awards!

Approximately 60% of new business ideas come from our own work experience, and the story of Inklings Paperie is a great example of an entrepreneur using her creativity and professional background as a jumping-off point for success in entrepreneurship.